China rejects claim it is spying on Western critical infrastructure

Secureworks

25/05/2023 10:15

May 25 (Reuters) - The Chinese government has rejected
claims that its spies are penetrating Western infrastructure,
calling the joint warning issued by the United States and its
allies a "collective disinformation campaign."
    Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told
reporters that alerts issued by the U.S., Britain, Canada,
Australia and New Zealand were intended to promote their
intelligence alliance, known as the Five Eyes - and that it was
Washington that was guilty of hacking,
    "The United States is the empire of hacking," Mao said. 
    The reaction follows a series of warnings issued by Five
Eyes countries - and major U.S. tech firm Microsoft Corp
 MSFT.O  - about the activities of a Chinese hacking group known
as Volt Typhoon. 
    Although Chinese spies have long been active online against
the United States and its allies, Volt Typhoon has raised
particular concerns because of its focus on critical
infrastructure, including communications links that tie the
United States to the Pacific, analysts say.
    The group's focus on stealthiness is also drawing attention.
    Cybersecurity company Secureworks, which said it has
responded to at least three Volt Typhoon hacks, described the
group as working consistently to cover its tracks.
    The company also backed Western assessments of the group's
origins, saying that the hacker group, which it nicknamed
"Bronze Silhouette," likely operates on behalf of Beijing.
    Secureworks - an arm of Dell Technologies'  DELL.N  - said
that Chinese spies were upping their game in response to "likely
increased pressure from (Chinese) leadership to avoid public
scrutiny of its cyberespionage activity." 

 (Reporting by Raphael Satter, Editing by William Maclean)
 ((Raphael.Satter@thomsonreuters.com;))